Mentoring Moments: Taking Advantage of Civilian Development Education (CDE) Opportunities

Ms. Lisa P. Smith, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Product Support and serves as the principal advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) leadership on policies, procedures, and actions related to the readiness and sustainability of major weapon systems. She is responsible for the development and implementation of acquisition and sustainment strategies and processes providing the Warfighter with cost-effective weapon system readiness across the life cycle. In addition, Ms. Smith coordinates and synchronizes ASD(S) international and partner engagements. She also manages the logistics and acquisition workforce for the Department of Defense.  She assumed her current position in April 2021. 

Ms. Amber Jones is the Deputy Director/Business Operations Flight Chief for the 408th Supply Chain Management Squadron (SCMS), 638th Supply Chain Management Group, 448th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW), Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC), Robins Air Force Base (RAFB), Georgia. She guides Art of the Possible initiatives, ensures organizational compliance, and maintains financial oversight of an annual budget in excess of $100 million. Ms. Jones guides more than 100 personnel in the life cycle management of 58 electronic warfare systems to provide aircraft and aircrew survivability and protection in hostile environments.

Ms. Rebecca Kern is a Department of Defense professional with over 20 years of government service supporting Air Force, Navy, and Joint programs. Currently assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, she leads the Continuous Improvement and Innovation (CI2) program for the 412th Test Wing. In this role, she heads Edwards’ spark cell, a CI2 laboratory, where she manages a $1.4M annual budget and fosters a culture of innovation through educational workshops, base-wide events, and the development of Airmen-inspired projects. Previously, she served on the ACAT 1C KC-46 Tanker Modernization program where she was recognized as Test Wing Specialist of the Year for her efforts in replacing aging KC-135 and KC-10 fleets with 179 KC-46 Pegasus aircraft.

Mr. Rajash Patel serves as the Senior Strategic Sustainment Technical Advisor to the Deputy Program Executive Officer, Rapid Sustainment Office, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH. He is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing strategic activities working with stakeholders to administer sustainment technologies in support of Air Force operational readiness. Mr. Patel provides leadership for strategic projects, evaluates and communicates performance results, and oversees the development of action plans with a focus on cost effectiveness and careful evaluation of return on investment. Mr. Patel’s professional experience covers 25+ years of serving in private industry and public service. He entered federal service in 2008 and served in a wide variety of civilian service positions of increasing responsibility at Group, Wing, Major Command, Headquarters Air Force, and Joint Command roles.

Robert (Bob) Straiton currently serves as the Program Manager for the Army’s Quality and Reliability Assurance (Q&RA) and Materiel Maintenance Management communities comprising of ~23, 000 civilians assigned world-wide that provide support to all levels of Army Commands. He is responsible for establishing, developing, coordinating, and implementing career management programs for the professional development of Army civilians assigned to the communities. In addition, Bob advises the Army Civilian Career Management Activity (ACCMA), the Logistics Career Field Functional Chief, Department of Defense (DoD) Functional Communities, and Executive Governance Councils on policy for Army civilians ranging from the entry level to senior executive service leaders. He is also responsible for the Q&RA Fellows programs that provides trained and qualified employees to Army organizations.

Kesha Johnson is the Director of Civilian Logistics Workforce within the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Product Support. In this role, she is responsible for all aspects of the Department of Defense Logistics Enterprise workforce development, to include developing and leading civilian logistics workforce policy, training, and recognition. She assumed her current position in February 2023. 

Ms. Johnson, a native of Virginia, entered Civil Service in July 2003 as a Department of Army Transportation Management Intern, and has over 19 years of logistics and workforce development experience.